The Essential Cuisines of Mexico: Revised and updated throughout, with more than 30 new recipes. [Hardcover]

Diana Kennedy (Author)

Book Description

Release date: October 17, 2000

More than twenty-five years ago, when Diana Kennedy published The Cuisines of Mexico, knowledge and appreciation of authentic Mexican cooking were in their infancy. But change was in the air. Home cooks were turning to Julia Child for an introduction to French cuisine and to Marcella Hazan for the tastes of Italy. Through Diana Kennedy they discovered a delicious and highly developed culinary tradition they barely knew existed. The Cuisines of Mexico, Mexican Regional Cooking, and The Tortilla Book became best-sellers, and Diana Kennedy was recognized as the authority on Mexican food.

Now a new generation has discovered that Mexican food is more than chimichangas, that they can find fresh hierbas de olor (pot herbs, including marjoram and Mexican bayleaf) and chilacas in their markets. The book that will become indispensable in their kitchens is The Essential Cuisines of Mexico.

Diana has combined her three classic books in one volume, refining recipes when possible, bringing them up to date without losing the spirit of their generation. Old friends will be delighted to revisit these refreshed classics and to find more than thirty new recipes from different regions of Mexico. Among these discoveries are the very popular arroz a la tumbada (rice with seafood) from Veracruz, a pico de gallo with peaches from the state of Mexico, and tasty snacks from the cantinas of Mérida.

Newcomers will delight in Diana's "word pictures" -- descriptions of her travels and discoveries -- and in her off-the-cuff comments. Whether they turn to this book for the final word on tamales, recipes for tasty antojitos to serve with drinks, or superb tacos, they will find there is no better teacher of Mexican food. How enviable to attempt for the first time Calzones del Diablo (yes, the Devil's Pants), and what a pleasure to succumb to Diana's passion for Mexican food.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Can it be 30 years since Diana Kennedy's first cookbook was published? Since then, and due largely to her, Americans have learned that Mexican food isn't just burritos and combination plates, but a subtle, highly developed repertoire with roots in European as well as native Mexican cooking. The Essential Cuisines of Mexico combines in one book Kennedy's first three works, The Cuisines of Mexico, The Tortilla Book, and Mexican Regional Cooking. Updated and revised, and with 30 new recipes to make more than 300 in all, the compilation is instantly the definitive English-language exploration of Mexican cooking.

In 20 chapters--from appetizers to sweets and drinks--the book presents old friends like Pozole de Jalisco and chile con queso, and new delights, including pico de gallo with peaches, Arroz à la Tumbada (rice with seafood), Pollo en Cuiclachoce (chicken in a sauce made with cuitlacoche, the wonderfully exotic corn fungus), snacks from Yucatán cantinas, and a delicious barbecued chicken from Chiapus. The recipe revisions reflect increased ingredient availability and our evolved appreciation of the Mexican palate (Kennedy now requires fresh poblano chilies in her Sopa de Elote, for example, and instructs that they be charred). The sections on masa "fantasies" and tortillas bring together a wide range of these corn-based treats, including Garnachas Yucatecas (delicious filled masa tartlets). With a comprehensive glossary and essays such as "A Weekend Barbecue in Oaxaca," the book reminds us of Kennedy's great contribution to our culinary pleasure, and the recipes that made it possible. --Arthur Boehm

From Publishers Weekly

HThe prolific Kennedy revisits her adopted homeland in The Essential Cuisines of Mexico, a compilation of her first three books (The Cuisines of Mexico, The Tortilla Book and Mexican Regional Cooking). From Nuevo Le"n to the Yucatan, Kennedy strives to retain the authenticity of regional recipes: "I have simplified the recipes when possible, bringing them up to date without losing the spirit of their generation." Chapters reflect an assemblage of courses, including appetizers, corn dough cakes, vegetables, meats, egg dishes, light meals, sauces and relishes, sweet pastries and drinks. The concluding "general information" section provides helpful tips on equipment, chiles, cheeses, spices, herbs and other ingredients indigenous to Mexican cookery. Chapter introductions and detailed anecdotes (e.g., "A Weekend and Barbecue in Oaxaca") offer engaging glimpses of local Mexican life. Recipes will beguile aficionados searching for the "real Mexican deal," with a cornucopia of earthy ingredientsDlike calf's tongue, pig's feet, tripe "of different textures," pork lardDand exotic flavors, such as machaca (dried salted beef), nopoles (cactus paddles) and cuiclacoche (corn fungus). For novices, there are appealing, easy-to-make comfort foods, like Angel Hair Pasta in Tomato Broth and Chiles Con Queso (Chiles with Cheese), while seasoned cooks will appreciate challenging dishes such as Stuffed Chiles in Walnut Sauce and Turkey in Mole Poblana. Vivid prose chronicles the sojourns of Kennedy's curious palate, painting "word pictures" to describe "a Mexico of the past." Her efforts yield yet another classic, one that masterfully documents the rich diversity of Mexico's gastronomic heritage. (Sept.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 544 pages
• Publisher: Clarkson Potter; 1 edition (October 17, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0609603558
• ISBN-13: 978-0609603550
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 1.7 x 9.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #293,197 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #44 in Books > Cookbooks, Food & Wine > Regional & International > Latin American
  • #91 in Books > Cookbooks, Food & Wine > Regional & International > Mexican

More About the Author

Diana Southwood Kennedy went to Mexico in 1957 to marry Paul P. Kennedy, the foreign correspondent for the New York Times. In 1969, at the suggestion of Craig Claiborne, she began teaching Mexican cooking classes and in 1972 published her first cookbook. She has been decorated with the Order of the Aztec Eagle, the highest honor bestowed on foreigners by the Mexican government. She lives much of the year in her ecological adobe house in Michoacan, Mexico, which also serves as a research center for Mexican cuisine.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

142 of 145 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Authentic Mexican Cooking from Scratch for Non-Mexicans December 27, 2000

By Donald Mitchell HALL OF FAMETOP 100 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

This book is the best Mexican cook book on the market. If you seriously love Mexican cooking, this cook book is absolutely essential.

I first discovered Diana Kennedy from a friend who was also seriously addicted to good Mexican food in 1973. I immediately bought a copy of her first book, The Cuisines of Mexico, and authentic Mexican food began to appear in my kitchen. Mexican food is the only food I make, other than something that can go directly into the microwave. Believe me, if I can get good results with this cook book, you'll be a regular Julia Child by comparison.

In fact, Diana Kennedy is a lot like Julia Child in many ways. Ms. Kennedy is an American who came to live in Mexico after she married a New York Times foreign correspondent. There, she learned Mexican food from the local people. Her book is full of beautiful tales about how people prepare and enjoy each dish. For years, she has offered cooking instruction, so she knows the kinds of things that people need to learn. For example, the book contains general information about what kind of equipment you need, basic descriptions of the various ingredients (which can get pretty complicated with the various chilies), and how to handle various ingredients for advance preparation (something I always do), storage, and freezing (something that always happens because I make so much).

The reason I say that this is the book to have is because this book contains the essential material from her three earlier cook books (The Cuisines of Mexico, The Tortilla Book, and Mexican Regional Cooking) updated and improved.... She has added more basic information and included 33 new recipes not in the originals (such as pico de gallo with peaches from the state of Mexico, rice with sea food from Veracruz, chicken in corn fungus sauce, many snacks from cantinas in Merida and Yucatan, and barbecued chicken from Chiapa).

Concerned about how healthy your Mexican food is? By making it from scratch, you can leave out the pork lard that makes it so tasty, and substitute some healthy vegetable oil instead. Or you can broil rather than fry. You get the idea. It won't be authentic, but it will taste a lot better than most of the other healthy food you eat. Most of the wonderful flavor actually comes from the vegetables and seasonings rather than the oils.

The book is broken out into the following sections: appetizers; Masa (corn meal) fantasies; tortillas and tortilla dishes; tamales; soups; soup stews; beans, rice, and pasta; egg dishes; light meals; salads; vegetables; sauces and relishes; meats; pork; beef; assorted meats; poultry; seafood; sweet yeast breads; desserts and cookies; drinks (included Craig Claiborne's favorite, Sangrita); and general information.

After you have finished enjoying this book, I suggest that you make a Cinco de Mayo dinner or party an annual event. I always like to have Mexican food for my birthday, as well.

Vaya con Dios! Read more ›

86 of 86 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars THE classic on Mexican cooking. Buy It. July 9, 2005

By B. Marold HALL OF FAMETOP 100 REVIEWER

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

`The Essential Cuisines of Mexico' is Diana Kennedy's Mexican answer to Julia Child's `Mastering the Art of French Cooking'. It has a similar style and quality and, like Child's encounter with French cooking, it came about as a result of her marriage to a husband who was posted to Mexico by his newspaper, `The New York Times' as their Caribbean / Mexican correspondent. This, plus a little help from New York Times colleague and friend, Craig Claiborne lead Ms. Kennedy to start teaching Mexican cooking and prompting her to write a book on the subject.

There are two big differences between this book and Ms. Child's `magnum opus'. The first is that this volume is an amalgam of three earlier books, while `...French Cooking' was a distillation from a manuscript at least twice the size of the final published volume. The second major difference is that while Ms. Child is documenting `cuisine bourgeois', Ms. Kennedy is looking at Mexico's `cuisine provincial'. This is highlighted by the fact that the geographical home of all recipes is cited, and the geographic specifics are given for all the major ingredients cited in the appendix.

The three earlier books being combined here are `The Cuisines of Mexico', `The Tortilla Book', and `Mexican Regional Cooking'. The author also states that some new material has been added to the recipes from these three books. To my eye, the integration of the three volumes is seamless. The author and her editors have not simply pasted the three volumes together, they have merged all the material to create a single work easily superior to the original three.

By the time this book was published, it should be evident to the English speaking world at large that Ms.... Kennedy has some serious competition from Chicagoan, Rick Bayless in the world of Mexican culinary authorities. Just as Ms. Kennedy presents recipes very similar to fellow amateur Julia Child and fellow `culinary archeologist' Paula Wolfert, chef Bayless does a much more analytical approach to Mexican cuisine, deconstructing dishes into their component parts in `Rich Bayless' Mexican Kitchen' and giving us multiple versions of important dishes in `Mexico One Plate at a Time'.

In spite of these differences, Ms. Kennedy and Mr. Bayless agree on virtually everything important when they address the same subjects. The most important point on which they agree is the central place of Oaxaca as, to coin a phrase, the Provence of Mexican cuisine. On which author to prefer, if you are a fan of Mexican dishes, buy both authors, bypassing the earlier books which were folded into the current volume and also bypassing Mr. Bayless' `Salsas That Cook' as there is some overlap with `Rick Bayless's (sic) Mexican Kitchen'. If you are a culinary professional, Mr. Bayless may be just a bit more useful. If you simply want lots of good recipes, go with Ms. Kennedy. Also, Ms. Kennedy probably has the edge when it comes to giving recipes for Mexican baking, as that is one of her special interests. And, if that is where your strongest interest lies, go for her latest book, `From My Mexican Kitchen'. On which writer is more `authentic' I am taking it on faith that both authors are incredibly faithful to the tastes and the spirit of the Mexican originals while being very considerate of their gringo audience's kitchen equipment and skills.

The one thing about which one may be disappointed in this book, based on the title, is that there is very little discussion of general regional differences. There is not even a dusty little map of Mexico and its regions. This is surprising in that, for example Penelope Casas includes a map of Spanish regions in all her major cookbooks and Diane Kochilas includes one in her excellent book on Greek cuisines. And, both authors give us recipes by region. Ms. Kennedy's omission is doubly puzzling as chef Bayless' first book, `Authentic Mexican' opens with a very good map of Mexican regions. This, of course, is only important if you are really interested in regionality, as when you plan to travel to Mexico. If all you want is recipes, this consideration is of no importance.

Following the model of her spiritual mentor, Julia Child, Ms. Kennedy's recipes are exceptionally well written. To those of us for whom this is important, note that all volumetric measurements are given in both English and metric units. And, Ms. Kennedy's admonition on careful measurement, regardless of the unit, is well taken. In spite of the fact that these are interpretations of very provincial recipes, Ms. Kennedy goes to great lengths to add warnings and suggestions regarding what can be prepared in advance, what should be served immediately, and what can be refrigerated or frozen safely, without loosing flavor or texture.

This book is not compulsively chatty, if that is something which annoys you. Many recipes have short headnotes, but not all recipes do. The overall book is organized by type of recipe, which makes it ideal for quick reference. In that regard, it is much better than Mr. Bayless PBS tie-in volumes. I went directly to the egg recipe chapter and was greeted immediately with the familiar `Huevos Rancheros', only to discover that Ms. Kennedy does anticipate Mr. Bayless a bit (and copies her Julia Child model as well) by separating the Salsa Ranchera recipe from the egg recipe with citations in the Salsa recipe for the dishes in which it is used.

I do not miss pictures in cookbooks, but if you do, go for Bayless' first book, `Authentic Mexican'. Otherwise, if you simply need Mexican recipes, pick this book first, especially as Ms. Kennedy is a better and more engaging writer than chef Bayless in his first book. My only real regret with this book is that there is no `analytical' listing of recipes by Mexican region. Otherwise, this is a real classic! Read more ›

127 of 135 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Should have been better February 1, 2001

By A Customer

Format:Hardcover

I'm the biggest Diana Kennedy fan ever. I wouldn't be without her earlier books except MY MEXICO, which is good but for me not essential. This is a compilation and some things are cut, some are added and some recipes refer to the earlier books that this one volume is supposed to replace. An example is tamales. Her earlier books have pages of instructions and theories in addition to stories. Here, we get the same story but then are referred to CUISINES OF MEXICO for detailed instructions for tamale masa. CUISINES has overly-pedantic recipes in the style of MASTERING THE ART OF FRENCH COOKING so the update in style is welcome, but I wouldn't dream of not having the complete versions of the earlier books. Personally, I think her editor needs to be spanked.

20 of 23 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Recipe Enciclopedia December 28, 2001

By A Customer

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

This is the first book written by Diana Kennedy that I read, so I don't know how it compares with her previous books. I can say, however, that this is one of the most complete books on Mexican cuisine that I have found. I also like the fact that all of the recipes are as authentic as can be. My only dissapointment is that some recipes call for hard to get ingredients and are very labor intensive, but this is not Ms. Kennedy's fault, that is just the way aunthentic Mexican food is. Even if you don't prepare any of the recipes the book is highly enjoyable.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Still the best February 14, 2007

By James Kellum

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

This is a re-issue of Kennedy's first two cook books, and they were getting hard to find. We bought this book for a friend who had just returned from Mexico, and wanted to try the cooking. It was an unqualified sucess. She started the first week she owned it, and by the second week, was hosting a Mexican dinner party. She found the instructions easy to follow and the ingrediants easy to come by. (San Francisco) There are other very good Mexican cookbooks and we own some, but we have ALL of Kennedys. It is hard to imagine a better book to start on.